Evening Star Newspaper, March 16, 1930, Page 37

EDITORIAL SECTION he Sunday Star. WASHINGTON, D. C, SUNDAY MORNING, MARCH 16, 1930. Special Articles Editorial Page Part 2—12 Pages SPAIN’S FOREIGN POLICY HELD ‘EMINENTLY PACIFIC Secretary Says Nation Is Friendly to All and Defends Moroccan Policy U. S. FORCED TO CONTINUE BUILDING IN NAVAL RACE Britain Insists on Two-Power Standard in Europe, With France Refusing Business Storm Passing Spring Will Mark End of Grave Concern—New Philosophy Aids in Rectifying Conditions. as Speci Note.—Stuart Fitz-James, seventeenth Duke of Alba and 14 times a orandee of Spain, with the blood of the Stuart Kings ©f Scotland and, England in his veins, writes here the first article he has pre- Pared since assuming ofice as Spain's Joreion minister in the Beremguer gov- grnment. In it e defends Spain's Mo~ roccan policy and dwells on the position ©f his country in the world of today. BY THE DUKE OF ALBA. Foreign Minister of Spain. ADRID.—Spain’s foreign policy is eminently pacific. When I say that I am simply express- ing the exact realty, so much so that I am afraid I am re- Ppeating a commonplace. I know that all nations say the same and are sincere in affirming it. Never- theless. we cannot ignore the fact that there are countries with unnatural fron- tiers, others with problems of irrident- ism, again others which wish to extend their colonial empire, and finally some that want to rectify treaties they regard as_unjust. ‘The result, therefore, is that although all nations desire peace there are ques- tions creating an atmosphere which is mnot very pacific quite apart from the aspirations of the peoples themselves. Spain Free of Those Problems. Fortunately Spain knows none of these problems. There are few coun- tries in the world possessing frontiers so clearly traced by nature as Spain. Fur- thermore, we have no minority ques- tions, and such of our fellow country- men as live in other countries are among brothers. We do not aspire to recon- stituting a colonial empire, nor do we think of breaking treaties. We live and endeavor to continue to live on the basis of the status quo, which is the most pa- cific position. And what about Morocco, some will ask? In the north of Morocco we are discharging a high mission of civiliza- tion in the interest of all. Without our intervention it is probable that that re- gion which, e in square kilo- meters, is not extensive, but neverthe- less very important from the point of view of communications, would be trans- formed into a us center of agi- tation, not only for the rest of the Shereef’s dominions, but also for coun- triés which hold special interests in the Mediterranean. By means of great sacrifices we are discharging in the Spanish zone of Morocco a specific duty by maintaining tranquillity and introducing Western civilization. Apart from the Mediterranean we are not interested in most of the problems being discussed in Europe. I do not mean to say that these problems leave us indifferent, but merely that we can judge them with absolute impartiality ‘because they are not vital to_us. For the very same reason I consider Spain is rightly discharging a very im- t_function in the League of Na- jons. Not only is Spain first after the great powers, but she is the most im- rtant among the powers that can in- criticism and all may rely on her im- ty. From what I have said it follows that Spain, not only out of dignity, but with & view to lending her nelp energeti- cally to the League of Nations, must be represented on its Council. Spain maintains cordial relations with fic Duty. only signed numerous commercial treaties, but also 13 treaties of arbitra- tion and neutrality, and we desire to continue in this direction. | Relations Are Cordial. | T repeat that our relations with all | countries that respect the rights of na- J(icms cannot be better. It will be easily | understood, however, that they are par- | ticularly cordial with those with whom | we are connected by ties of race, lan- guage and culture. Apart from the | Spanish-American republics, I refer in |the first place to Portugal, the Latin | countries and our old friend, Great | Britain. | The international policy of states | does not depend upon the number of | men or their regimes, but it is prac- tically invariable, because it is deter- | mined by geographical position and eco- | nomic necessities. Spain is in the southwestern corner of Europe, between this continent and Africa on the one side and on the other between the At- lantic and the Mediterranean, and, | finally, she is on the great maritime and aerial highways which join Europe with the United States and South America. We are, therefore, an Occidental country (hence our traditional friend- ship with France and England), and we are not exclusively a European country, as we are constantly looking toward the two_Americas. With the democracy of the United States we wish to maintain the most cordial relations, and I can affirm that the fraternal sentiments we feel for Spanish America are by no means an obstacle in this direction. In fact, our relations with the sister republics of Central and South America are, above all, of a cultural and economic charac- ter, and they are capable of harmoniz- ing perfectly with the particular inter- ests of the United States. I know that in the United States we have many friends, even propagandists of the natural and artistic beauties of our country, as well as of our cultural life, and we sincerely wish that our friends would help in bringing our eco- nomic relations more closely together on the basis of reciprocity, because we are aware that wltml)lut sollghkrumh- tions sentiments usually vanish. Before closing this article I wish to say something about the “decadence of Euyrope," so often repeated that it has become banal. Growing Use of Language Cheers. ‘There is no doubt that one of the consequences of the war has been to transfer the center of gravity of inter- national politics and finance to Amer- ica. Bleeding and impoverished Eu- rope does not hold in world politics the same specific weight it held before and what it has lost has almost entirely been gained by America. This displacement as Europeans we greatly regret, but as Spaniards we re- gard the loss of European influence as compensated by the growth, every day more pronounced, of the nations born of the same stock as ourselves. Everything which contributes to in- crease the world importance of the Spanish American republics is a satis- faction and honor to Spain, the com- mon mother of these nations destined to a great future, and one of the signs of this growth is the preponderance, constantly increasing, of the Spanish language as a vehicle of culture and all civilized countries. We have not commerce. (Copyright, 1830.) Humanizing of History Is Traced To Illustrations in Old Psalter BY RALPH D. MAGOFFIN, Ph. D, LL. D., Professor of Classics. History for centuries dealt only with the great, not with the many. If any one could give the names and dates of the Roman emperors, of the kings of France or of the rulers of England that was enough. At times famous generals, clever cardinals, belted knights and ladies of nobility and court helped with their minor luminosities to set off the ruling luminaries. When John Richard Green wrote his “Short History of the English People” the world was amazed, for it had never supposed that the peo- ple amounted to anything. But the idea took. In Green's book, and in others of the | same sort that soon began to appear, the text was illustrated by many pic- tures that proved the people were quite worth while. But where did the his- torians find pictures of people who lived and worked and played centuries before the time of the writers who were bringing the people upon the | stage of natural life. Public o Purchase Psalter. A great many of those which were used in the English histories came from the margins of the Luttrell (or Loute- | rell) Psalter. This magnificent manu- script has come much into public notice of late because, although it has been ‘or many years on loan in the manucript ‘department of the British Museum, it is now being purchased by public sub- | scription for final and secure lodg- mm?t in that museum. In truth, it would seem that the campaign for sub- tion money both for the Luttrell Pwflurwr d ll!z for the Bedford “Book of Hours” might not have been able to t an extension of time had it not g:en for the generosity of J. P. Morgan. In the early years of the fourteenth tures a traveling coach for royal ladies, whose pet dogs and squirrels enliven the scene. Another important series portrays sports and games of every de- scription, one being a fine illustration showing archery practice on the range. Hundreds of Individual Subjects. As one would expect, there are hun- dreds of pictures of individual sub- jects. Among these may be named a windmill, a water mill, with eel traps set in the river; a grindstone, two men towing a boat, a castle of love besieged by knights and defended by ladies whose weapons of defense are roses, with which they pelt their assailants; a good painting of Constantinople show- ing its medieval falls and even minute enough so one can read the signs on several of the shops and inns. ‘There is also one most amusing scene in which a family are moving in a covered two-wheeled wagon, looking like one of the old prairie schooners, at least as to its ribbed top. The horse, which i5 in the shafts, is saddled. On that and on one shaft the driver bal- ances himself while he whips up his three horses, which are hitched tandem. Former Opinions Revised. The road leads up a stiff grade. Be- fore essaying it the owners have wrapped around the wheels over the tires something that looks like a heavy but thin wooden cog band, and have tied it to the six-spoked wheel with six or seven throws of rope. Behind the stgun one man pushes on a tailboard, and the cther farther behind has a tvo—gronued pole set against the frame of the top, against which he ?uxhen with all his might. The horse in the shafts is backing instead of pulling, the swing horse is prancing in startled amazement and tge leader is standing upright on his hind legs, holding his forefeet in a more or less prayerful at- eentury several fine psalters were exe- cuted in East Anglia. Every one knows. at least by hearsay, of the Ormesby Psalter at Oxford, the Arundel and St. Omer Psalters in_the British Museum end the Douai Psalter (destroved in the war). But none of them compares with the Luttrell Psalter in marginal drawings. Here is to be found a series that illustrates the life of medieval Tngland, series so important that the psalter may well be considered a na- tional monument. Wigures of Historical Importance. ‘This lter was made for Sir Geof. rey Dm?t;‘rtll of Irnham, in Lincol shire, about 1340 AD. There is a miniature in the text of the knight on horseback. He is attended by his wife Aenes Sutton, and his daughter-in-law Beatrice Scrope. On the gowns of the ladies are armorial bearings, which identify them absolutely. The pages of the manuscript carry about 14 lines of text in beautifully written Latin, Illuminated capital I ters, nearly all containing a figure per. text, adorn neatly ever) . At the top and bottom and dow: meoumde edge of the text runs a mag- nificent border decorated in colors on a gold background. Along the wide mar- gin on the inside of the pages are painted the series of flTu’u which have attained high cultural and historical importance. One series is that of ag- Chigh o aaks I quite posibi. to de: -enougl e it qui - scribe the animals, implements and workmen of that time. ‘There is on one page a painting of a titude. It is, all in all, a wonderfully | vivid and living picture. | " Not many years ago & book with pic- tures was derided, called unscientific, | and all that sort of bosh. Today we have found that oldsters and young- sters alike read with their eyes as well | as with their minds, and that a judicia. | admixture of pictures with text has | made a type of book that has properly come to stay. ;Supporter of Tokio Honored by Emperor | Recent clevation of Marquis Kunl- 4ki Tokugawa to the rank of prince s+ the result of the Emperor'’s personal .esire to honor a man whose family for senerations worked for the good J the | ‘mperial family, even in the days when | the ruler in Kyoto was a mere figure- | head, with the actual power in the hands of the shogun in Toklo. The for- mer marquis' family was founded 275 years ago in the city of Mito, 75 miles north of Tokio, by Mitsukuni Tokugawa, | grandson of Iyeyasu Tokugawa, first BY JULIUS H. BARNES, Chairman of the National Business Survey Conference. HE mobilization of business lead- ership last November in behalf of business stabllity was pri- marily based upon a new philos- ophy. The panic in security prices had shocked and alarmed every one. The air was full of rumors and exaggerations, mostly inaccurate. The danger was that hesitant confidence and enterprise in business leadership would shrink employment and earnings in a mistaken self-preservation. There was danger that through fear of un- employment the great buying public, which sustains all industry, would sus- pend its orderly living. ‘The new philosophy was that Ameri- cans, in and out of business, provided 1wnh accurate information stripped of i alarmist exaggerations, would possess ! the common sense, courage and pru- | dence which would shorten and limit any ill effects. We now are justified in | saying that, with the passing of Winter, America rode out the storm with less distress than then seemed possible. | Have Weathered Worst of Storm. ‘To the business men of America the Spring of 1930 marks the end of a period of grave concern. They have now weathered the worst of the storm which came in the wake of last Au- tumn’s crash on the stock market. The collapse in security values is now far enough behind us to take an inventory of our efforts. We can now subject the wild rumors of the Winter to the test of actual conditions. And we find, be- yond any doubt, that once more the col- lective common sense of the American people has come to the rescue, and that American business is steadily coming back to a normal level of prosperity. ‘There is still much to improve—too much unemployment to absorb in spots—but at present the trend is right. Before me is a comprehensive sum- mary of business conditions as of March 1, supplied by 170 trade associations. It would be illuminating to the most casual reader. For it shows at a glance that there are few bad spots in Ameri- can business as another Spring ap- proaches, and that recovery from the admittedly bad weeks of late November and early December is clearly under way. True, an index figure for the whole picture would fall somewhat under the same figure for 1929, but it must always be remembered that 1929 ‘was an abnormal year. During the first nine n:lo‘x'\luu of 12‘29 ‘]\menun business was piling up the largest aggregate earnings in our history. Even without the stock market collapse there might have been a recession in 1930. If we can hold it within a narrow margin the extraordinary construction plans for the year, set in motion by President Hoover, will help take up the slack and another economic crisis will have passed. Finance Is Sound. The summary before us shows that American finance is sound—far more sound than in the excessive inflation of a year ago. Since December there has been an ever increasing demand for sound securities, with a marked shift from stocks to bonds and notes; yet average stock prices have advanced 25 per cent. Savings deposits, which were drawn upon during November as in- vestors sought to protect the falling values of their securities or to make new investments at the lower prices, have shown an increase every week since December 1, except for the week directly following Christmas. An adequate sup- ply of mortgage money, though still cautious, is available for sound projects. Although installment finance has suf- fered somewhat, the finance companies report a volume of business above the same in 1929, and an amazingly small number of delinquencies for a ‘Winter of such stress. New life insur- ance, another accurate barometer of bor government sustained the first defeat since it took office on the amendment to the coal bill, on which the Liberals joined the | Conservatives in an opposition lobby. ‘The amendment, which is on a minor | point, did not affect the bill vitally and thus there is no need for the govern- ment to take the gleeful shouts of the Conservatives demanding resignation seriously. Nevertheless, the defeat was a pain- ful reminder to the Labor party that it | held the reins of office only on suffer- ance and may be put out whenever the other two parties chose to unite on an | important issue. There are many ob- | servers here that think it will not be | long before this happens. Certainly the | government is making heavy weather | at present. Week by week the unem- ployment figures are mounting, offering deadly ammunition to the opposition snipers, who do not fail to make the best of their opportunities. Then the coal bill is having a slow and extremely qif- ficult passage through the House of Commons, and even if it achieves a haven in the third reading, it stands a strong chance of being sunk in the House of Lords. Finally, the Naval Conference, on which Prime Minister Macdonald is pin- | ning such hopes, has approached a | deadlock and seems unlikely to achieve | anything of great importance and al- | most certainly not all the results that | were advertised. Under the circum- stances it is only natural that an early | general election should be under discus- | sion. It is not thought likely, however, | that it will come until after the budget | is introduced toward the end of April. Ex-Prime Minister Baldwin had the opportunity to force the issue on Thurs- day- last, but he did not choose to Lake ft. After the government’s defeat on Tuesday Prime Minister Macdonald in- iformed the House that the party wouid not resign, but challenged the Con- servatives to amend the motion of censure they already had on paper so as to make it a general vote of no confidence. Baldwin, however, pre- ferred to leave the motion as it was— the condemnation of the government's attitude toward protection. Whatever l ONDON.—Last Thursday the La- shogun. Although related to the great | feudal lord in Tokio, Mitsukuni and his descendants held diametrically opposed | views on government. Mitsukuni is most famous for his work on a history of Japan, the fundamental argument of which was that the Emperor as direct descendant of the sun goddess should reign supreme and that the actual pow- er should not be retained by the sho- gun. Throughout his life he worked for | a greater acceptance of the imperial ws a lady at her toilet, another pic- prerogatives, Fhen and a party at dinner, another 0 A the differences between the Laborites and the Liberals on other issues, on tariff questions they stand shoulder to shoulder, and it was a foregone con- clusion that the government would emerge with a handsome majority. Danger still lurks, however, in the coal bill, which is making slow progress in the committee. Despite great efforts to meet the Liberal objections, that party is extremely dissatisfied with a part of the bill and icularly those clauses which were rted in order JULIUS H. BARNES. High Lights on Business Today To the business men of America the Spring of 1930 marks the end of a period of grave concern. They have now weathered the worst storm which came in the wake of last Autumn’s crash on the stock market. The collective common sense of the American eople has come to the rescue and American business is steadily coming back to a normal level of prosperity. An index figure for the whole picture would fall somewhat under the same figure for 1929, but it must always be remem- bered that 1929 was an abnormal year. American finance is sound, far more sound than in the ex- cessive inflation of a year ago. State and municipal bond issues have recently mounted toward the total of the years just after the war, a guarantee of abundant activity shortly. Shipbuilding is advancing and will be aided materially by the opening of a dozen new ocean mail routes. Automobile production is now above the 1928 level. There are some bad spots. Textiles and leather have suf- fered during the Winter, but their plight is of many years’ standin in farm that of last year. Construction in the entire Nation, which normall about eight billion dollars a billion mark in 1930. on thi vast majority of industries. conditions, shows a falling off of only 3 per cent in January from the record- breaking total of that month a year ago, and a gain of approximately 12 per cent over January, 1928. In the construction fleld conditions are still somewhat disordered, as the huge programs assured by the White House conferences last November are not yet fully under way. At the peak of the Winter depression unemployment Wllqfi reasonable stability now and progressive economies roduction, farm buying power should equal or exceed runs year, will mount toward the ten e whole, a note of optimism is apparent among the in the building trades reached 38 per cent, as compared with 30 last year and 36 in 1928. But there are many encouraging signs on the horizon. State and municipal bond issues have recently mounted toward the total of the years just after the war—a guarantee of abundant activity shortly, until cold weather comes again. Lumber, cement, brick and the other construction ma- terials have been undergoing a seasonal Macdonald’s Stony Path England Already Discussing Premier’s Overthrow and General Election Which Must Follow RAMSAY MACDONALD. to placate the coal owners. The latter, however, have now expressed strong opposition to the whole bill to which me{ly they had given unenthusigstic nt. In view of this development it is possible that the government will con- sent to drop the clauses which irk the Liberals and endeavor to push the remainder as rapidly as In this case their chief source of danger until the w'udm is introduced would be disposed of Every week the Labor government continues, however, emphasizes how stony is the path of a cabinet unsup- recession somewhat more seve; Iast year, but are buoyed wup by. ipe promise of one of the largest public § construction years in history. Shipbuilding is advancing and will be aided materially by the opening of a dozen new ocean mail routes by the | Government. Employment actually in- creased in the shipyards during the Winter, as compared with a year ago; and when Government bids are awarded in the near future capacity business for more than the year will be assured. Manufacturers of automobiles and radios took the full force of last Autumn’s shock, and production de- clined materially during the Winter. Liquidation of surplus stock now seems about completed, and automobile U is now above the 1928 level, although below last year’s. In the radio field the outlook is not yet clear, but the necessary price cuttings of the Winter. have at least cleared radio stocks in this infant industry. There are some bad spots. Textiles and leather have suffered during the Winter, but their plight is of many | years' standing, and it is difficult to find ' a connection between troubles of the moment and the stock market collapse. ‘These industries are in need of extraor- dinary skill in treatment. It is well to remember that rarely is there active prosperity through the whole gamut of industry. There is con- stant shifting of differing industries be- tween robust health, unexpected ail- ments_and convalescence. There is a fine chapter of courage, fortitude and vision in the rebuilding of affected in- dustries. No outside aid can equal these qualities applied by the responsible managers and owners of industry. In agriculture, as always in that far- flung industry, there is both good and 11l of promise. Hog prices are good, cat- tle fair, sheep and lambs depressed. Pruit and vegetable prices are ge: erally excellent. Milk and dairy prod- ucts are lower than last year, but not distressing. The farm price of corn is 25 cents higher than on the Argentine farm. Wheat in Chicago is as high as in Liverpool, and in spite of a long fall in price during recent months. is now 20 cents above the price of last May. Cotton is neither reassuringly high nor alarmingly low. With reasor.- able stabllity now and progressive economies in farm production farm buying power should equal or exceed that of last year. Note of Optimism Is Apparent. On the whole, today, a note of op- timism is apparent among the vast majority of industries. We were fortu- nate that organized industries had de- veloped, through national associations. the means of collecting and exchanging exact information. This Winter, in marked distinction to other periods of business depression, individual judg- ment has not been warped by false and exaggerated rumors. Some conservative men, who have been through these economic crises before, believed that for an upward swing of businsss ity there must be a correspond- ward sweep, with distress and inevitable during the period of justment. They believed that nature, both human and business, should take its course. But there were many reassuring fac- tors entering into this particular reces- sion, with all of which President Hoover was familiar. In e dozen years of close contact with American business he had full knowledge of improvement in busi- ness practices. In the deflation of 1921 excessive stocks of goods, acquired at ces, cost the country ap- proximately a $20,000,000,000 loss in | value. But since that time hand-to- mouth buying and adequate transporta- tion had protected the manufacturers, the distributor and the merchant against the hazards of large accumulations. American business, under Mr. Hoover’s | h ;,'?;'.’,f_ dead leadership, was not content with: tacit | (Continued on Fourth Page.) ported by & majority in the House of Commons. Every week the temptation to force a general election and appeal to the country for a majority grows. Naturally the Labor party will, if pos- | sible, choose its own grounds for the contest and the best ogpommlty in the near future is offered by the budget. The revenue figures to date for the current financial year, together with the estimates for the coming year, make it clear that Chancellor Snowden will have to raise more money. How he pro- poses to do it no one knows, for he is a good keeper of secrets. It would not surprise, however, if he produces a popular budget at the expense of wealthier taxpayers, with a view of in- viting defeat. It is difficult to fore- cast the result of the general election brought on in this way. At least it would offer the Labor party a sport- ing chance of returning not only to office but to a position where it would not be dependent as at present on Liberal support. Place of Bernhardt’s Birth Remains Puzzle The birthplace of Sarah Bernhardt has never been discovered. Legend has her born either on an ocean island, or in Bohemia, but there is no proof. Re- cently a rumor made her the daughter of a Polish officer with the armies of Napoleon, said to have settled in the Ile de Re, an island on the Atlantic Coast of France, and falling in love there with Mile. Bernhardt. In the church of Les Portes, a village in the Ile de Re, a picture representing an “Assumption of the Virgin” with a beautiful blond virgin and exquisite cherubs, can be seen. The models are believed to be none other than Sarah’s own mother, herself and a baby brother named Jean, who died at the age of 2 and whose little tombstone still bears his name in the church cemetery. The brilliant Polish father, a fine art- ist and good Catholic, is said to have painted the religious scene in his dear ones’ likeness and presented it to Les Portes Church. He is also said to have returned alone later to his home coun- try. “There is not a word of truth in that,” says an old Parisian, who was ‘when Was. ‘whom many peaple knew very well. Per- to Accede and BY FRANK H. SIMONDS. ONDON.—There has been so much discussion and agitation over the question of whether the London Conference foreshadows reduc- tion or expansion in American naval strength—a discussion greatly stimulated by the recent statement of Secretary Stimson—that it is perhaps worth while once for all to look into the statistics. At the present moment the United States has built and is building—appro- priated for and authorized—1,210,000 tons of warcraft. This figure is exclu- sive of 80,000 tons of submarines and destroyers which have been put on the disposal list. It is also exclusive of 26,000 tons of old cruisers, including the New York of Spanish War fame. These ships are excluded from all naval lists because they have long passed the 20- ye?r: age limit which is the scrapping point. This_estimate does include all ton- nage which would exist if we carried out the 15-cruiser bill, although 10 of these big boats have not yet been approj ted for. It may fairly be accepted, then, as a just estimate of the Navy we should have had there been no conference at Now over against this total must be placed figures which we have presented to the Naval Conference. These amount to 1,136,000 tons. There is then here an apparent reduction not of 200,000 tons, as Mr. Stimson forecast the other night, but of 74,000 tons. But, in fact, there is little likelihood of this, for Japan is in- sisting on a submarine tonnage which is certain to force us to add at least 68,000 tons to our vessels in the subma- rine and destroyer category. To Be Rearrangement. For all practical purposes, then, our Navy after the conference, assuming that a treaty is made, will be practically identical in size with the existing fleet. This, to be sure, is only true on the as- sumption that we should in any case have built 100,000 tons of the unfinished 15-cruiser bill. There is then to be no reduction of the American fleet as a consequence of the conference. What is to take place is a rather striking rearrangement of categories. Thus we are to drop 70,000 tons of battleships and 17,000 tons of destroyers and add 27,000 tons of cruisers, 45,000 tons of airplane carriers and some 10,000 tons of submarines. 1If, however, you measure the pnu?ec- tive fleet by our actual strength, includ- ing only ships built and in process of construction, then our present totals but 1,040,000 against the conference figure of 1,200,000. It remains now to explain several items. The reduction in battleships is the result of a common agreement by all the powers not to build new battle- ships for five years, and of the British, Japanese and ourselves to scrap under the Washington ratio, the Bri ing up five ships, the Americans and the Japanese one. Capital ships already obsolescent would automatically disappear before 1936, and with their disappearance the | be three fleets come down to the Wash- ington figure for capital ships of 15—15—9. Cruisers are the real nub of the sit- uation. At the moment we have 170, 000 tons built and building in 20 ships, the British have 327,000 in 54 boats. At the Rapidan, Macdonald proposed to Hoover that the agreed figure be 339,000 against 327,000, we to have 18 big boat against 15 for the British, we haying more big ships, the British more ton- nage. To carry out this program, how- ever, involves the building not only of all tonnage involved in the 15-cruiser bill, but of 27,000 additional. Here in reality is the point where the cost parity has to be paid. Additional Plane Carriers. In_ the matter of airplane carriers, the British desired to reduce to 100,000 tons, but we are holding out for 135,000 tons, the limit of the Washington treaty, and this involves the construction of 45,000 tons additional. In submarines, giv- three Italy Following. we have built up to the Japanese level, - which is just under 80,000 tons, which will add 10,000 to our tonnage. In de- stroyers we shall probably drop from 217,000 to 200,000, a nominal fall of 17,000 tons; but in reality we shall’ have built a very large number of new submarines and destroyers. By contrast with the Americans, neither the Japanese nor the British faced any such problem as the cruiser question of the United States. The Japanese already have slightly more than 200,000 tons in cruisers, and even their extreme demand of a 70 per cent ratio would only involve the buildin of something less than 30,00 new stuff. As for the British, they nelnlmdy within 12,000 tons of their goal. France, by contrast, is in the Amer- ican position. During and since the war financial conditions have forced her to neglect her fleet. She is mow short in most directions. Her first conference figure, 724,000 tons, was based upon the alleged existing tonnage of 681,000. But in fact, aside from hopeless junk, she has not more than 550,000 tons. She is thus asking an actual increase of nofigfoo n':u. in- although she ers which the Brif little larger than our prospective con- struction program in cruisers alone, which amounts to 157,000 tons. As to Xlllf, it is useless to go into the Italian claims, because Italy claims parity with France, although in actual and prospective tonmage she is far be- hind. And even if she should get her right to parity acknowle she would certainly not be able to d up to it now. Great Building Prospect. Looked at squarely, the situation then is this, the United States and France are both contemplating great naval con- structions which will much increase their existing tonnage and even more considerably expand the fighting capac- ity of their fleets. Italy is following to the limit of her financial ability, while Britain and Japan, which have kept their fleets up, are standing still, a course imposed by their economic conditions. The London Conference will not, then, lead to reduction. It will not lead to any larger limitation than that nm:-' . The United States and the French are destined to make vast new nditures, which in the case of the United States will lead to at least a billion dollars. But one must say in all justice that these ex- penditures will not be in excess of what was certain in any event, conference or no _conference. 8 When for five years we have all bullt E‘u &uccmuhwe are :bh"uu ve mlg ith Britain, and a fixed relation with Japan, and French and British relations will be equally settled. What Italy's will no one can guess. The test, of course, is going to come in 1935, when the next conference meets to decide whether scrapping shall then begin or a new burst of building. And not until that time will it be possil any real judgment uj ment of the London erence. Of course, it remains possible that there will be no agreement. But in that case I fancy building will not be much more considerable. At all events the United States and the British have set- tled the actual dispute over parity, and their navies are bound to be kept more or less fixed equality hereafter. The problem, of course, remains whether that level will be stationary or ascend- ing, for although she has resigned su- premacy and yielded parity in the case of the United States, Britain has not abandoned the two-power standard in Europe. And while France declines to o Reep pace. Wil ol "pultiing pace against France. (Copyright, 1930.) Spoiling of Ether Presents Problem As Chemists Seek to Remove Peril Competent chemists should be de- tailed to stand guard over the ether supply of hospitals, it is asserted edi- torially by Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, journal of the American Chemical Soclety. Chemical vigilance, the journal declares, should be exercised not when the ether is purchased, but when it is about to be used, “in order that impure material may not con- tribute to the loss of a single life.” Spoilage of ether, it is pointed out, presents a problem which the chemist must attack as a service to humanity. The belief is expressed that sustained effort will bring a solution and thus eliminate danger to those who undergo operations. The journal continues: “Knowing the vigilance exercised gen- erally by the monufacturers of anes- thetic ether, it has been something of & shock to note from time to time the seizures made because of failures to meet the requirements of the United States Pharmacopeia, and to learn that for years patients have devel res- Erntory complications, and some stances pneumonia, following surgical operations. Rely Upon Standard Brands. “Surgeons and anesthetists generally have relied upon the standard brands and trademarks of ether because of the continuous research conducted by manufacturers striving not only for absolute purity of the product, but also for a better understanding of fac- tors important in its preservation. “Concurrently, the Federal labora- tories have kept in the closest touch with the problem. “In one hospital a ehemist larly well fitted to undertake tI was asked to consider possible causes of post-operation bronchitis and pneu- monia. He raised the question of ether purity and was told that it was all right, being a standard brand. Never- theless he examined it and found con- siderable quantities of both peroxide and aldehyde, which are int the pharmacoj rticu- task terdicted by pela and both of which render ether unfit for anesthetic pur- poses. “Experiments were undertaken jointly with a pharmacologist using the oyster as the initial experimental animal, since it has the same type of structure as the respiratory tract lined with eilia, ;:ug.:%eet foreign bodies upward from Effect Is Studied. “By using cold light through a quartz rod it was possible to study the effect of ether upon the ciliary action in the oyster. It was found that whereas pure ether was without effect upon move- ' ment, 0.001 per cent of acetaldehyde haps Sarah’s son’s ma to a Hun- uflagb[‘irl ‘whose mm.ha&. e mn; cess E‘h lains story abou the Polis] eo;::gttnu.“ would entirely sto) cflhri action. "Unronumtely,’ethn not a stahle product. Some oxidation takes place, in part, perhaps, as a result of contact with the catalytic system of S i e i orts on of manu- factured to provide bemrv:'nuhem “Carbon dioxide has been used to expel the air; copper-plated cans and various other types of containers or chemical treatment of such containers have been introduced in an effort to improve ether preservation. In five European countries the law requires anesthetic ether to be packed in amber glass, in which some claim it will re- lm: in a state of purity for a long “If it can be demonstrated that the packaging of ether in this manner will Yrevent deterioration for a measurable ength of time so that dates would afford reasonable protection, it would be worth many times the additional cost and any inconvenience in trans- portation which might be involved. Manufacturers Co-operate. “The effort to provide antitoxidants should go forward, and should this prove the solution our surgeons would soon become educated to the use of permissible preservatives, although now they object to color and to the pres- ence of reuld';’u matter when the ether It should be emphasized that repu- table manufacturers are honestly to prevent other than the best ma- terial reaching the operating rooms. It must . also be said that the Federal laboratories and inspectors are check- ing ether and to the best of their abi]- | ity rounding up ana witharawing from the market or from use material wmen | has deterforated in storage. “The manufacturers are doing all they can to prevent the spo of their ether after it has left e spectors.” Italy Finds Chinese Market on Increase